Despite our professions of belief, our baptisms, and our membership in the church, many of us secretly wonder, Am I truly saved? We worry that our love for Jesus isn't fervent enough (or isn't as fervent as someone else's). We worry that our faith isn't strong enough. We struggle through the continuing presence of sin in our lives. All this steals the joy of our salvation and can lead us into a life characterized by legalism, perfectionism, and works righteousness--the very life Jesus freed us from at the cross! But Greg Gilbert has a message for the anxious believer--be assured. Assured that your salvation experience was real. Assured that your sins--past, present, and future--are forgiven. Assured that everyone stumbles. Assured that Jesus is not your judge but your advocate. With deep compassion, Gilbert comforts readers, encouraging them to release their guilt, shame, and anxiety to rejoice in and follow hard after the One who set them free.

"This book is a study of the doctrine of assurance in light of the New Testament's teaching on hope"--Provided by publisher.

The acclaimed author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life now offers a book for all Christians whose doubt and fear are interfering with the joy and peace that faith could provide, and for pastors and counselors who wish to help them.

“If there were a Guinness Book of World Records entry for ‘amount of times having prayed the sinner’s prayer,’ I’m pretty sure I’d be a top contender,” says pastor and author J. D. Greear. He struggled for many years to gain an assurance of salvation and eventually learned he was not alone. “Lack of assurance” is epidemic among evangelical Christians. In Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart, J. D. shows that faulty ways of present- ing the gospel are a leading source of the confusion. Our presentations may not be heretical, but they are sometimes misleading. The idea of “asking Jesus into your heart” or “giving your life to Jesus” often gives false assurance to those who are not saved—and keeps those who genuinely are saved from fully embracing that reality. Greear unpacks the doctrine of assurance, showing that salvation is a posture we take to the promise of God in Christ, a posture that begins at a certain point and is maintained for the rest of our lives. He also answers the tough questions about assurance: What exactly is faith? What is repentance? Why are there so many warnings that seem to imply we can lose our salvation? Such issues are handled with respect to the theological rigors they require, but Greear never loses his pastoral sensitivity or a communication technique that makes this message teachable to a wide audience from teens to adults.

Over 2 Million Sold in Series Are you a new Christian? Are you looking for ways to dive deeper in your walk with God? This bestselling discipleship tool contains 13 brief and clear studies to help you navigate a new approach to Scripture and faith. Growing in Christ covers a range of relevant topics, from assurance of salvation to getting involved with the church to sharing your faith. This educational and encouraging resource is designed to help you master the fundamentals of the Christian life and dive deeper into Scripture. In this small and simple study book, you will find Virtual memory verse cards Short devotionals at the beginning of each chapter Bible reading prompts and discussion questions Prompts to journal your thoughts and answers Prayer prompts Perfect for personal use or group discipleship, Growing in Christ is a valuable tool for any believer in any stage of their journey with Christ. Get the rest of the Growing in Christ discipleship series to deepen your faith, refresh your soul, and establish a firm foundation for your life.

Teaching Outline + Study Guide for The Assurance of Salvation

The single most important event in a person's life is the new birth. Yet, this is also one of the most neglected doctrines in the church. Many Christians would be hard-pressed to describe exactly what the new birth is, let alone what it means to the rest of their walk with God. What happens when we are born again? Does everything in our lives change immediately? Is it just a kind of spiritual do-over, a chance to get it right this time? What happens when we fail? Does it mean we weren't really born again to begin with? With a pastor's heart and a professor's insight, Steven Lawson carefully examines the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus found in John 3 to uncover the nature of this spiritual rebirth. He shows you the necessity of the new birth, how God changes our hearts through it, and what follows after, from baptism and involvement in a local church to handling doubts and setbacks. This book is perfect for believers who want to understand what happened when they believed and for non-Christians who are curious about what a new life in Christ is all about.